Berlin Police Ban Marxist Newspaper on Victory Day, Sparking Censorship Outcry
Berlin, May 8, 2025 — On the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, Berlin police have ignited controversy by banning the distribution of the Marxist newspaper junge Welt at the Soviet War Memorial in Treptow Park. The decision, which also prohibits Soviet symbols like the hammer and sickle flag, has drawn sharp criticism from press freedom advocates and anti-fascist groups, who see it as an attack on historical memory and free expression.
The ban targets junge Welt’s latest issue, featuring a front page with the headline “Hitler kaputt” alongside an image of a Soviet flag raised in celebration of the Red Army’s triumph. Berlin authorities justified the move by citing a broader prohibition on Soviet and Russian symbols during Victory Day commemorations, a policy in place since the onset of the Ukraine war in 2022. According to a Berlin police statement issued earlier that day, the restrictions aim to prevent “symbols, uniforms, songs, and flags that could be seen to support Russia’s invasion” and reduce the risk of violence at public events.
The Soviet War Memorial in Treptow, a sprawling monument and military cemetery, commemorates 7,000 of the 80,000 Red Army soldiers who fell during the Battle of Berlin in April–May 1945. Built in 1949, the site has long been a focal point for Victory Day celebrations, often featuring Soviet flags and songs honoring the defeat of fascism. However, since 2022, Berlin has tightened restrictions on such symbols, a move that critics argue erases the historical role of the Soviet Union in liberating Europe from Nazi rule.
Nick Brauns, editor-in-chief of junge Welt, called the ban a “clear case of censorship” and an “attack on press freedom.” In a statement, Brauns emphasized the irony of the decision: “A police decree banning Soviet symbols is now being used to keep junge Welt away from a memorial honoring the Red Army’s victory over Nazi fascism. This is not just about our newspaper—it’s about silencing the memory of those who fought and died to end the Holocaust and Nazi terror.”
The decision has sparked outrage on social media, with users drawing parallels to Germany’s historical struggles with fascism. One X user,
@xtinamagwaza1
, posted a satirical image captioned, “Berlin smells like in the 1930s,” while another, @LiberatedM1nd
, wrote, “Germany never denazified. We have the United States to thank for it.” Others, like @Sugnuhlrak
, expressed frustration with Germany’s historical revisionism, stating, “Stalin should have kept going west. Would have saved the world a mess of trouble later.”This is not the first time Berlin has imposed such restrictions. A 2023 report by The New York Times noted that a higher court upheld a similar ban on Russian and Soviet symbols during Victory Day celebrations, citing public safety concerns. That year, up to 1,500 police officers were deployed to enforce the rules, and the commemorations were notably subdued. The policy has been controversial since its inception, with critics arguing that it equates the Soviet Union’s role in defeating Nazism with Russia’s current geopolitical actions, a conflation they deem historically inaccurate and politically motivated.
The Soviet War Memorial remains a poignant symbol of World War II’s toll and the Red Army’s sacrifices. According to historical records, the monument was constructed using materials from a former sports field, not the Reich Chancellery as rumored, and its upkeep is mandated by the Two Plus Four Agreement of 1990, which obligates Germany to maintain all war memorials on its soil.
For many Berliners, the ban on junge Welt and Soviet symbols is a step too far. The Bund der Antifaschisten Treptow e.V., which organizes an annual “Day of Freedom” vigil at the memorial on May 9, issued a statement condemning the police action: “Erasing the symbols of those who defeated fascism on the very day we celebrate that victory is an insult to history and to the millions who suffered under Nazi rule.”
As debates over historical memory and freedom of expression intensify, the incident at Treptow Park underscores the delicate balance between contemporary politics and the lessons of the past. For now, Berlin remains a city grappling with its complex history, where the echoes of 1945 are still heard—and, increasingly, contested.
